Rising starOnly 19, Aya Ueto is in hot demand
as an actress and celebrity spokeswoman By Chris Betros

Every year, a new starlet emerges to be proclaimed by Japanese
magazines and TV wide shows as the new commercial
queen. At the moment, that title firmly belongs to Aya
Ueto, who turned 19 on September 14. That was a big week for
the squeaky-clean star, who not only was feted at a media
bash attended by nearly a thousand adoring fans, but launched
a photo book titled natural, and attended promotional events
from Shinjuku to Saitama.

Ueto, however, is nonchalant about her fame. I dont
think Ive changed much, she said at her party.
Born in Tokyo, Ueto sgot her start in 1997, when she won the
judges special award in the All-Japan National Beauty
contest for girls. In Japan, such an award guarantees the
winner countless product endorsements and guest appearances
on TV variety shows such as Matthews Best Hit TV (the
guy who was in Lost in Translation).

In 1999, she and some friends formed a pop band called
Z-1. She continued with her music career until 2001, when
TV and advertising work started to prove more lucrative. This
year, Ueto is advertising products for ten companies, including
a vitamin drink alongside Yong Joon Bae, star of the hit Korean
drama Winter Sonata. According to advertising agencies, Uetos
contract price is ¥45 million this year, with the biggest
deals coming from Otsuka, Kao, Nisshin and Fuji Photo Film.

In July, Ueto was also given the dubious title of Natto
Queen, and most recently fronted a campaign for National
Road Safety Week. Thats something I have always
been conscious of since I saw a horrific accident two years
ago, she said. Currently, Uetos beaming face can
be seen hawking Lotte chocolates on a 7-meter x 2-meter screen
near Shinjuku Station and promoting the Cocoon shopping mall
in Saitama. I used to go there often when I was little,
and now to see my face on those big billboards is really something,
gushed the 162cm-tall star.

While ads keep her busy, Ueto is concentrating her efforts
on her acting. Last year, she took on the difficult role of
a high school student struggling with a sexual identity disorder
in the TV drama Kinpachi Sensei. She followed that up with
her big-screen debut as the title character in Azumi, a violent
feudal-era drama that screened at the Sundance Film Festival.
Ueto played a woman raised from birth with nine other orphans
to become assassins, and has already completed the sequel,
Azumi II.

Now that she has turned 19, Ueto said she cant wait
to become an adult (20 in Japan). I kind of look at
this year as the last year of my teens, she said at
her birthday party. Of course, I think Ill still
be the same me inside next year.

Credit: Oscar Promotion

q&a

Nobara Hayakawa

From the OL-Diary Project
series, by Nobara Hayakawa

A self-described student of The Royal Institute of Friendships
and permanent lecturer at The Institute of Mistakes and Indecision,
Colombian-born Nobara Hayakawa has a flair for inventiveness.
The 31-year-old artist (http://nobara-net.com)
first came to Tokyo in 2000 as a Monbusho scholar and has
since earned her masters in visual communication from
Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Besides
her day job as an office lady, Hayakawa is busy preparing
for a joint show with her mother from October 10-16 at Akasakas
Gallery Saka.

How would you describe your art?
Not very serious, not quite finished, mmm... not art. Its
more like a struggle between my desire to do things and the
awareness of the futility of what I do.

How did you end up as an artist?
I studied graphic design, thinking itd be an ideal way
to balance creation and survival. But somehow it seems easier
to me, both mentally and emotionally, to separate completely
those two aspects. So I work on my projects, and survive as
an OL.

Why did you come to Japan?
Id say I was curious about my roots. But the truth is
I like seeing places. Any reason is good enough!

Whats it like being an office lady?
I was a housewife once and now I work in an office. I guess
Im fulfilling my childhood dream of being an actress
by exploring many ways of life. Any unknown situation is a
great source of inspiration and theres always something
to learn from it.

How does Tokyo compare to Bogota?
In Bogota I always know where the north is. And the bread
is always crusty.

Whats your dream show? Id have to sleep on this one.

Tell us about your upcoming show.
Im having a little show with my mother, in a small gallery
in Akasaka. Weve called it Continuity. She
paints about seeds and rebirth. Im working on my roots.

Tell us about your mother.
Her name is Nobu Takehisa. She is Japanese but a long time
ago fell in love with Colombia, where she still works and
lives. Hers is an entire family of artists (her grandfather
was Takehisa Yumeji, who was a popular painter during the
Taisho period). In that sense I think Im a pioneer.
I might be the first OL in the family! TML